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Weak Auction
Raises Red Flag
For Japan Bonds

TOKYO -- In a sign the rally in Japanese government bonds may be over, bond prices Tuesday slumped to their lowest levels in more than a month after an auction of 10-year debt that few wanted to buy.

Wary that a run-up in stock prices during the past week signals renewed economic vigor in Japan, investors chose to hold back from buying the &yen;1.495 trillion ($13.72 billion) of new bonds as they prepared to close their books on the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31.